Press Report

Baddow Village B became this year's Chelmsford & District Table Tennis League Junior KO Cup Champions. In an Inter-Club Final against Baddow Village A they emerged as 5-3 winners. Bradley Hudgell, this year's Restricted Singles Champion was the difference between the two sides and his two singles wins plus one doubles success steered the Baddow Village B side towards the title. Hudgell made no mistake in his first singles, downing Rykki Vansertima 11-3, 11-5, 11-7. Baddow Village A deserve full credit for making a game of it. They trailed 4-0 before Upson and Vansertima pinched the middle doubles off Hudgell and Laura Pyman 3-1 and a determined Rykki Vansertima added a second win as he beat Phil Twite 11-7, 12-10, 10-12, 11-8. With Sam Pitt getting the better of Laura Pyman 11-8, 6-11, 11-1, 11-9 it was a very relieved Hudgell who was able to clinch victory for his side by beating Haydn Upson 11-7, 11-2, 11-13, 11-3.

The 6-Down KO Cup Final produced a competitive match with three games going to a fifth end but it was Danbury who ran out 5-1 winners over Baddow Village. Danbury no. two Peter Sun took both of his singles beating Ian Austin 11-3, 11-9, 11-3 and Andrew Lager 11-8, 11-4, 11-5 whilst Roger Tiffin played his part with a hard-fought 7-11, 11-6, 11-8, 9-11, 11-3 victory over a battling Adam Pitt. Matt Standen was also on target and he came through over four ends to beat Andrew Lager 11-8, 9-11, 11-9, 11-6.

ECC turned in two top-class performances against evenly matched opposition to capture the Veterans KO Cup for the first time in the Club's history. In the Semi-Final ECC disposed of Danbury B 5-0, after a match which was much harder than the scoreline suggests. A determined ECC side sneaked home deep in the fifth end on three occasions. Steve Kerns and Keith Spicer opened the scoring by coming back from 2-0 down to beat Keith Phillips and Dave Finlayson 9-11, 5-11, 11-3, 11-9, 11-7 in the opening doubles and Bryn Thomas cemented the ECC advantage in the second game with a superb win over Danbury no. one David Jacobs. After a really hard-fought battle Bryn came through 9-11, 11-5, 10-12, 11-5, 13-11. ECC were now firmly in the driving seat and Steve Kerns added to their advantage as he beat Phillips after another hard-fought encounter. Somewhat baffled by Keith's unorthodox style Steve emerged as a very relieved 7-11, 11-6, 11-5, 13-11 winner. With Keith Spicer excelling by beating Dave Finlayson 14-12, 3-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-9 the writing was now "on the wall" for Danbury and Kerns and Thomas duly sealed the ECC victory with a 11-8, 7-11, 12-10, 11-5 win over Jacobs and Phillips. A very good all-round performance from the ECC side.

Excalibur A (George Pavitt, Nigel Lamb and Kevin Smart) made the Final by beating Hatfield Peverel 5-2 in their Semi-Final. Again, the opening doubles was crucial and George Pavitt and Kevin Smart's 12-10, 9-11, 10-12, 12-10, 11-8 win over John Parodi and Dave Carter gave Excalibur an immediate lift. Kevin Smart played his part with two superb wins - beating Dave Carter 11-8, 11-9, 11-5 and John Parodi 10-12, 11-7, 11-6, 11-7 whilst George Pavitt was on target with a 6-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-7 win over Parodi. After a slightly disappointing display Hatfield Peverel had to be content with two wins on the night, both which came at the expense of Nigel Lamb. John Gagg came through to beat Lamb 11-7, 14-16, 11-7, 15-17, 12-10 whilst Dave Carter was also succesful over five ends. Dave emerged as a 8-11, 11-8, 11-6, 17-19, 11-4 winner.

In the Final Trevor Collin replaced Bryn Thomas in the ECC line-up. Paired with Steve Kerns, Collin was on the mark in the opening doubles. After a shaky second end Kerns and Collin emerged as 11-8, 9-11, 11-7, 11-9 winners over Nigel Lamb and Kevin Smart. The second game produced the shock of the night with the inform Keith Spicer gunning down George Pavitt 3-1, a player he had never ever beaten before. George coasted to a comfortable first game win, but from that moment on it was Keith who called the shots. Keith didn't put a foot wrong as he blasted his way to 3-11, 11-6, 11-0, 11-8 success. As in the Semi-Final, ECC were again in the driving seat and Steve Kerns made no mistake as he hit his way past Nigel Lamb 3-0. The writing was on the wall for Excalibur but to his credit Kevin Smart, as he had done in his Semi-Final, again produced a fine display. Trevor Collin never really looked comfortable and Kevin ran out a 11-2, 12-10, 8-11, 11-8 winner. With the score at 3-1 Excalibur had to win the middle doubles to have a realistic chance of victory but try as hard as they did it was Kerns and Spicer who called the shots against George Pavitt and Nigel Lamb. Steve and Keith came through to win 7-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-6. With Keith Spicer on such good form it was expected that he would complete the ECC victory by beating Kevin Smart fairly comfortably and although he looked distinctly uncomfortable at times Keith's greater weight of shots and superior services meant he had enough in hand to run out a 7-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-9 winner. Game set and match to ECC 5-1.